MANILA — Former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary and former mayor of Mandaluyong City Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. admits he is a product of a political dynasty. 

“It depends on how you define it. Kung simply anak ka lang, I'm a product of dynasty. Yes, I will admit that,” Abalos said on ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025 on Tuesday.

Abalos’ father, Benjamin “Ben” Abalos, Sr. has been mayor of Mandaluyong in the past and is the current mayor of the city.

Abalos was quick to say, however, that he will follow the Constitution’s provision on political dynasties if an anti-dynasty law is brought up in the Senate, but the definition must be clear first. 

“Napakasimple ng pananaw ko diyan. Kung sinabi ng Konstitusyon na gawin namin, by all means, we should do it. We should first define what dynasty is. Ito ba yung first degree? Ibig sabihin po ng first degree ay mag-ama. O kaya naman ay yung tatay at yung lolo niya. Or two degrees. Or third degree. It will depend,” Abalos said.

“Mas makakatulong nga to kung mayroon isang batas in the world na puwede nating i-benchmark. Kung sinasabi ng Saligang Batas yan, dapat lamang gawin natin yan,” he added.

According to Abalos, he never saw being a mayor as a birthright.

“Lumaki kami sa pamilyang nakikita mo yung ginagawa ng magulang mo. And when I ran, I was a councilor. I ran against a vice mayor who was also the son of a mayor. So it was never a birthright. I have to go through an election,” he said. “It was embedded in me. Pagkatao ko na yun.”

He also defended his wife, Carmelita Abalos, the current vice mayor of Mandaluyong who was also mayor in the past.

He said her achievements are her own and that she worked hard for these.

Asked on his views about senators who are related to each other, Abalos said it is the choice of the people even though there is such a thing as delicadeza.

“Ito kasi nagiging problema natin. We are governed by the laws of men. Ito yung batas natin. Delicadeza is something na sa sarili mo na lang yan. But it's not within the law itself. Bahala ka na,” he answered.  “Ang tao ang magsasabi eh, do they allow it or not?”

ALYANSA PARA SA BAGONG PILIPINAS

Abalos is running under the administration coalition Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.

Though some may look at the ticket as old names in politics, he said their platforms should be the ones scrutinized.

“Tignan mo yung adbokasiyang binibigay. Kung sasabihin mong luma ako, wala akong problema. Maski bago pa lang ako tatakbo sa Senado. I'm a neophyte senator. Pero ito sasabihin ko sa inyo, maski luma ako, naging congressman ako,” Abalos said.

If he wins, Abalos said he will file a bill removing e-VAT on electricity.

“Pangalawa tayo sa pinakamahal na kuryente sa Asia after Singapore. This is one of the hindrance. And how can you promote manufacturing and other kind of things kung doon pa lang sa kuryente, talo ka na?” he pointed out.

Abalos said he is unbothered by survey ratings. He ranked 16th to 18th in the Pulse Asia survey released in February.

“Okay lang naman kung hindi ka pumapalo. It depends on the kind of survey that you have and we have,” he said. “Basta ako, this is my platform, ito yung pagkatao ko, ito yung ginawa ko, we still have 80 days. Let's see where it will go from there.”

He said he and some friends fund his campaign. Volunteers also put up campaign materials for him.

Abalos did not know how much he has spent already but assured that it is within the limits of the law.

DUTERTE VS MARCOS

Abalos was part the Duterte and Marcos administrations.

Asked if he was now anti-Duterte, he said, “It's not being anti or pro or what. It's about the issues that's being told to you. It's not about the personality.  Kung minsan may mga bagay na lumalabas na maaaring itong taong ito nagsabi. Pero maski kaibigan mo siya, kung yun namang issue na yun ay talagang labag sa kalooban mo, talagang tatayuan mo yan. Hindi ka doon.”

“I'm pro-life. I'm not pro-death. Yung mga patay-patay. Ever since I've been pro-life, ever since I've lost my child, my eldest daughter, I've lost my mom. So for me, life is precious. Kung salbahe ka, pabayaan mong magbulok ko sa kulungan,” he added.

As for the conflict between the Marcos and Duterte camps, Abalos leaves it to the judiciary to decide, stressing that there is a process to follow.